Supervised electric system



Dec. 15, 1936.

H. c GRANT, JR 2,064,533

SUPERVISED ELECTRIC SYSTEM V OriginalFild Oct. 25, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 m\ QM E kiw W r J J\. v m r W lllllll {L ATTORNEY Dec. 15, 1936. Q GRANT. JR 2,064,533

SUPERVISED ELECTRIC SYSTEM Original Filed Oct. 23, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 L \r 4 80 Z J5.- 57 W F/GURE 5 INVENTOR HARRY Cnmwzu. Gnwvgfv.

ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 15, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT v OFFICE SUPERVISED ELECTRIC SYSTEM Harry Campbell Grant, Jr., New York, N. Y., as-

signor to Walter Kidde & Company, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation. of New York 4 Claims.

The present invention is a division of applicants co-pending application Ser. No. 572,783, filed October 23rd, 1931, for Supervised electric systems, and embodies that portion of the system illustrated and described in the above copending application which relates to the general method of battery charging, battery supervision, main supply supervision and ground protection described therein. It will be apparent that the cir-' cuits embodying these particular features may have wide application and an object of the present invention, therefore, is to provide a general method of battery charging, battery supervision, main supply supervision and ground protection.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a system which can be electrically energized either by a main source of electrical potential, or by a secondary source of electrical potential normally under charge from the main source, the system likewise being capable of energization simultaneously by both of the sources of potential. 7

Further objects of this invention will appear as the same is described more fully in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

'Figure 1 is a diagrammatical representation of an alarm system constructed and arranged in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a simplified diagrammatical representation of a portion-of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a diagramm'atical representation of that portion of Figure 1 which specifically relates to the present invention.

At the outset, the General Electric system which is supervised and energized in accordance with the present invention will be described in order that the present invention may be more fully understood and its wide application appreciated.

In the system shown the reference numerals and 2 represent the positive and negative terminals of a secondary source of electrical energy in the form of a battery 3, which is protected by fuses 4 and 5 and whch is normally under charge, in a manner hereinafter to be described, from a main source of electrical energy, the positive and negative terminals of which are shown at 6 and 1.

At A there are shown the terminals of a socalled external circuit containing normally closed circuit opening thermostats 8. B, C, D, etc., indicate the terminals of additional external circuits, all of which are connected in series in the following manner; current flowing from the positive line through the ,wire 9, the ground detector relay III, the resistance one side, l2, of the external circuit A, the other side, l3, of the external circuit A, then in series through the external circuits B to J inclusive, the line 14, the

fire alarm relay l5 and the line I 5 to the negative line. The circuit just described and the battery 3 ar connected in parallel with the main supply terminals 6 and l, the latter normally supplying the energizing current for said circuit and the charging current for the battery, the positive and negative junction points being at 11 and Ill.

The path of the charging current for the battery is from the main supply terminal 6 through the armature IQ of the main supply supervising relay 20, the contact 2|, the charging resistances 22 and23, the wires 24, 25, 26, 21 and 28, through the battery, the wires 29 and 30, the armature- 3l, the contact 32 and the wires 33, 34 and 35 to the main supply terminal 1.

At 36 is shown the battery supervising relay which is connected to the positive terminal of the battery by the wires 28, 31 and 38 and to the negative terminal of thebattery by the wires 29 and 39.

When a system in accordance with the present invention has been installed and is to be made ready for use, the reset switch 40 is closed, whereupon current flows from the positive terminal of the battery through the wires 28, 21, 26, 25, 24 and 4|, the switch 40, the wire 42, the main supply supervising relay 20, and the wires 43, 30 and 29 to the negative terminal of the battery. This results in energization of the main supply supervising relay 20, causing closing of the contacts 2| and 32. Upon intentional reopening of the switch 40, which is therefore preferably of the push-button type, the main supply supervising relay 20 will be found to be connected across the main supply terminals 6 and 1 through the armature 19, the contact 2|, the wire 44, thecontact 45, the armature 46, the wire 41, the resistance 48, and the wires 49, 42, 43 and 50, the armature 3|, the contact 32 and the wires 33, 34 and 35, thus holding the relay 2|) energized.

By reason of the herein-referred to flow of current through the external circuits from the junction point H to the junction point 18, the fire alarm relay I5 is normally energized, but as soon as a fire occurs in a space protected by an external circuit, as for example in the space indicated by the thermostat 8 on the external circuit A, the circuit between the junction points I1 and I8 is broken by the opening of the thermostat, whereby the fire alarm relay I5 is de-energized. This results in the closing of the contacts 5| and 52 by the armatures 53 and 54,

whereupon fire alarm signals are rendered in the following manner. The reference numeral 55 represents the fire alarm gong which is normally located at the central fire alarm station. This gong is sounded by reason of current flowing from the positive line through the wires 56, 51, 58 and 59, the contact 52, the-armature 54 and the wire 60 to the negative line. At the same time the fire alarm lamp 6i, normally located at the central fire alarm station, is illuminated by current flowing from the positive line through the wires 62, 63 and 59, the contact 52, the armature 54, and the wire 60 to the negative line.

In certain types of installations, for example on board ships, it is advisable to signal the presence of fire to the engine room or some other location than the central fire alarm station, which is normally in the wheelhouse or chart room of the ship. For this purpose there is provided a second fire alarm gong 64, which becomes energized by current fiowing from the positive through the wires 58 and 55, the wire 55, the

fuse 61, the wire 68, the contact 5i, the arma- I ture 53, and the wire Eli, to the negative line.

As soon as the presence of fire is made known by any one or more of the means provided, the

fire-watch attendant immediately proceeds to the central fire alarm station, at which point he will find on the operating panel a number of switches corresponding to the external circuits A to J inclusive. The switch for the external circuit A has been indicated by the reference numeral 69A. The switches for the other external circuits, although not numbered in Figure 1, will be referred to as 69B, 690, etc. It will be noted that these switches are normally open and are so arranged as to short-circuit the external circuits when the switches are closed. The first thing the fire-watch attendant does is to start closing the switches 69A, 69B, 690, etc., beginning with the switch 69b, and allowing the switches to remain closed until the switch is reached which causes the fire alarm gong 55 to stop sounding and the fire alarm lamp 6i to be extinguished. Since the switches 59A andjQB, etc., when closed, short-circuit the external circuits, the switch which resulted in the removal of the fire alarm signals by re-energization of the fire alarm relay I5 and the consequent reopening of.the contacts 5| and 52, is the switch which serves to indicate the presence of fire on the circuit to which it corresponds.

If it is assumed, for example, that a fire has thus been located on the external circuit H, it may happen that a fire has also occurred on one of the circuits A to G inclusive. The .firewatch attendant accordingly allows the switch 69H to remain closed, and then proceeds to reopen the switches 69G, 69F, 69E, etc., in the order named. If no fire has occurred on any of the external circuits A to G inclusive, all of the switches, with the exception of switch 69H, can be re-opened without further fire alarm signals, and the closed switch 691-! will indicate the circuit on which the fire-watch attendant and his assistants must search for fire.

If, however, a fire has occurred on other of the circuits, the re-opening of the switch corresponding to such circuit will result in fire alarm signals, and the switch willaccordingly have to be'closed again so that the remainder of the circuits can be tested in like manner. It will,.of course, be understood that theswitches which finally remain closed serve as indications of the circuits-on which fire must be looked for.

sists directly in locating the circuit or circuits on which fire has occurred, without the need of indicating relays for each of the external circuits.

It will, of course, be understood that the occurrence of a wire break in any of the external circuits will turn in fire alarm signals, but the existence of a wire break will not become apparent until after an unsuccessful search for the presence of fire on the circuit indicated.

It has already been mentioned that the external circuits are protected against the occurrence of grounds, and the relay ID has already been referred to as the ground detector relay, which relay is normally not energized by the relatively small supervisory current which flows through the external circuits from the junction point ii to the junction point iii, the voltage drop across the relay in and the resistance Ii being only a fraction of the total drop from the junction points i! to I8 by reason of the far greater resistance of the fire alarm relay l5 in the same series circuit.

It is customary in ship installations to have the ship's electrical circuits ground clear but this condition rarely exists. At times the ship's negative may be grounded and shortly after this the ground may be changed from negative to positive. The relative position of the ground on a ships generator and various points of the circuit in accordance with the present invention will cause difierent indications to be given at the central,control station.

In order to clarify the discussions which follow, let it be assumed, by way of example, that a ship has a 220 volt supply and that the battery 3 of the present invention is a 40 volt battery.

If, therefore, any one oi the wires of any of the external circuits becomes grounded, while at the same time the positive side of the main power supply is normally grounded, a much greater than normal voltage is applied across the ground detector relay i0 and the resistance ii, whereupon the ground detector relay is energized and the contact at 45 is opened. The opening of the contact 45 directly interrupts the already described energizing circuit of the main supply supervising relay 20, whereupon the latter is deenergized, opening the contact at 32 and closing the contact at H. sounding of the trouble gong i2 and the illumination of the trouble lamp 13, by reason of current flowing from the positive terminal of the battery through the wires 28, 21, 26 and M, then in parallel through the trouble gong i2 and the trouble lamp 13, then through the wires 15 arid Hi, the contact ii, the armature 3i, and the wires 50, 30 and 29 to the negative terminal of the battery. The sounding of the trouble gong 72 can be stopped by opening the switch 11,

.but the trouble lamp will remain illuminated.

If, on the other hand, any one of the wires of any of the external circuits should become grounded, while at the same time the negative side of the main power supply is normally grounded, the fire alarm relay i5 will be short-circuited, whereby the full normal voltage between the junction points i1 and IE will be applied across the grounddetector relay l0 and the resistance ii, whereby the ground detector relay is energized and the'main supply supervising relay 20 is de-energized in the manner already described This action results in the in connection with the occurrence of a ground 15 when the positive side of the main power supply is normally grounded. The already mentioned short-circuiting of the fire alarm relay l5 results in its momentary de-energization, but this relay will again be energized and the ground detector relay III will be de-energized when the ground is removed in the manner about to be explalned.

Although it is one of the purposes of the main supply supervising relay 20 to indicate the failure of the main supply, whereby the relay would be de-energized and the trouble signals given in the manner already explained, the most important function of the relay 20 is to break the circuit between the fire alarm system and the main supply on both sides, thus removing the ground and allowing the battery to re-energize the fire alarm relay I5, so that dangerous currents often flowing for ground conditions will be interrupted. For this reason therelay 20 is not arranged to pick up on the main supply voltage directly, but, if de-energized, is required to be reset manually by the reset switch 40, as otherwise, upon deenergization of the relay 20 due to a ground with consequent breaking of the ground circuit, the relay 20 would be re-energized and thus bring back the ground, with the result that the relay would buzz rapidly and burn off either of the contacts 2| or 32, depending on the relative location of the grounded points.

The relay 20 has also a third function, which is best mentioned at this time, in that the breaking of the circuit between the fire alarm system and the main supply upon failure of the main supply prevents the battery from discharging back into the main supply lines, the battery now serving as the main and only source of energy.

It is to be understood that the detection of grounds in accordance with the present invention depends upon normal grounding of the positive or negative of the main source of electrical supply, either directly or through a ground resistance of a ground detector arrangement such as is sometimes employed, and which consists of two lamps connected in series with each other and across the main supply, the connection between the lamps being normally grounded, so that each of the lamps is a referred to ground resistance, and whereby grounding of either line at any point gives a ground signal by causing the extinguishing of the corresponding lamp and the brightening of the lamp corresponding to the other line.

In view of the fact that the auxiliary fire alarm gong G4 is normally located at some distance from the central fire alarm station, defects can easily occur in the external leads to the auxiliary fire alarm gong, and this gong is accordingly supervised by means of the auxiliary gong supervising relay 18, current flowing from the positive line through the wire 56, the external gong lead 65, the auxiliary fire alarm gong 64, the external gong lead 65, the fuse 61, the wire I9, the auxiliary gong supervising relay I8, and the wire to the negative line.

If new the main supply is normally grounded on the negative side, and if a ground occurs in the external gong lead 66, the auxiliary gong supervising relay I8 will be short-circuited and consequently deenergized, whereby the armature 8| will close the contact at 82, and the trouble gong and trouble lamp will be operated by reason of current flowing from the positive line through the wire'll, the trouble gong and trouble lamp in parallel, the wire 83, the contact 82, the armature ll and the wire 80 to the negative line. At the same time the auxiliary gong 64 will sound due to the cutting out of the high resistance of the supervising relay I8. If, however, a ground occurs in the external gong lead 65, such ground will constitute a direct short-circuit across the battery 3 and one of the fuses 4 and 5 will blow out, whereupon the battery supervising relay 36 will be energized and will give the trouble signal in a manner hereinafter to be described.

If, instead of the main supply line being normally grounded on the negative side, it is normally grounded on the positive side, a ground in the external gong lead 56 will cause the auxiliary gong to sound by reason of the increased voltage to which it will be subjected. On the other hand, if the external gong lead 65 becomes grounded, the increased voltage on the entire system will cause the battery supervising relay 36 to be energized and the trouble signal given in a manner hereinafter to be described. At the same time the abnormally high charging current will cause one of the fuses 4 and 5 to blow, thus protecting the battery against excessive charge.

The external gong leads are not only protected against ground in the manner already described, but likewise against direct short-circuits of the leads. Such a short-circuit is normally undetected, but as soon as a fire alarm signal is given, the short-circuit of the auxiliary gong leads constitutes a direct short-circuit of the battery, whereupon the fuse 61 or one of the battery fuses 4 and 5 will be blown out, and the battery supervising relay 36 will be energized and the trouble signal given in a manner now about to be described.

While the main supply supervising relay 20 is normally energized, the battery supervising relay 36, which is connected across the terminals of the battery 3, is not operated by the normal battery voltage, but is designed to operate upon a considerable increase in voltage across the relay winding.

It has already been explained that the external circuit between the junction points II and I8, and the battery 3, are connected in parallel across the main supply terminals 6 and I, so that normally the main supply terminals provide the supervisory current flowing through the external circuit and the charging current flowing into the battery. When, however, a fire alarm or trouble alarm is given, the increased current required by the alarm gongs is greater than can be supplied by the main supply. The charging current normally flowing into the battery therefore reverses itself and the battery supplies the excess current required when alarm conditions arise.

If now the battery should fail for any reason, not only will the battery supervising relay 36 be energized and give the trouble signals, but a portion of the charging resistance 2223 will be cut out of the main supply line, so that the main supply will be capable of supplying the increased current required when alarm conditions arise.

resistance oi. the battery, and is also somewhat greater than the value of the charging resistance 22-23. It also happens that in the system described the internal resistance of the battery is less than the value of the charging resistance 2223. When, therefore,-the battery fails for any reason with the substitution of practically infinite resistance in place of the normally small internal resistance of the battery, a considerably increased voltage drop will occur across the external circuit, due to the fact that removal of the battery charging current load will reduce the voltage drop across the charging resistance 29-30, and this increased voltage, occurring likewise across the winding of the relay 36, will cause the relay to pick up its armatures 34 and and close. the contacts at 86 and 81. The trouble signals will then be given by reason of current flowing from the positive line through the wire I4 and the trouble gong and trouble lamp in parallel, the wires I5 and 88, the resistance 33, the contact 81, the armature 85 and the wires 90, 3| and 35 to the main supply terminal 1. Instead, however, of the connection from the main supply terminal 6 being through the charging resistance 22-23, the increased current which the main supply is called upon to supply when the fire or trouble gongs are sounded, requires that part of the charging resistance be by-passed, and it will accordingly be found that the portion 23 of the charging resistance 22-23 is short-circuited by closing of the contact 86, the path of the shortcircuit being from one side of the resistance 23 through the wires 24, 25, 2G, 21 and 31, the armature 84, the contact 85, and the wire 9i to the other side of the resistance 23. If now the trouble gong be stopped by opening the switch 11, additional resistance must be drawn into the circuit to protect the trouble lamp J3 and this additional resistance will be found at 32, so that the trouble lamp is energized in a series circuit including the resistances 83 and 92.

The method of operation of the battery supervising relay just explained can more easily be seen in Figure 2, in which the reference numerals correspond with the reference numerals of Figure 1. Figure 2 shows the external circuit and the battery 3 normally connected in parallel across the main supply leads 6 and I. In view of the already mentioned relationship of resistance values of the various circuit elements, a smaller voltage drop occurs across the external circuit and the battery 3 than across the charging resistance 22-23, the resistance of a parallel circuit always being less than the resistance of the smallest resistance circuit, which is the battery circuit in the present case. Failure of the battery with consequent increase in resistance approaching infinity increases the resistance of the parallel circuit to that of the external circuit. which is greater than that of the charging resistance 22-23, so that a greater voltage drop occurs across the external circuit, instead of across the charging resistance 22-23, which is the normal condition. Consequently,- the battery supervising relay 3 picks up on this increased voltage and effects operations already fully described.

It must of course be understood that the main supply now furnishes current at an increased voltage across the entire fire alarm system. Consequently, the ground detector relay I. must be so designed with respect to the fire alarm relay ii that, except when grounds occur in the ex ternal circuits, the voltage drop across the relay His only a fractionof the voltage drop between i the junction points l1 and ii. If this feature is not provided for, failure of the battery with resultant increased voltage on the fire alarm system. as already described, would cause energization of the ground detector relay II and de-energization of the main supply. supervising relay 20, with consequent cutting off of the main supply. This would mean that the system wouldbe absolutely dead and inoperative and would give neither fire nor trouble signals.

In connection with the resistances II and 43,

' it should be noted that these are current limiting resistances and maybe variedto provide adjustment of the relays l0 and 23 respectively. Also. in connection with the condenser 93, this condenser is employed to prevent arcing at the contact 32 of the main supply supervising relay 23, such as might occur when ground conditions exist.

' Referring now to Figure 3, in which the same reference numerals have been used as'in Figure 1, it will be readily seen that the particular arrangement here shown, and embodying the present-invention, is independent of the particular type of electric alarm or signalling system to be used in conjunction therewith, so that the present invention is capable of wide application in conjunction with other specific types of electric systems.

In Figure 3 the positive and negative supply leads are shown at I00 and Illl respectively. The contacts of the ground protective relay, in electric systems in which such a relay is required, are connected to the leads 41 and 44 respectively. At I02 is shown diagrammatically a main source of electrical energy.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that I have made various improvements in electric alarm systems of the general type referred to and it is to be understood that the present invention, while it has been described with specific reference to the accompanying drawings, is not to be limited,save as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1 In an electrical system comprising an electric circuit, a source of electric potential, at least one pole of which may be normally grounded, for normally energizing said electric circuit, and a secondary source of electric potential for energizing the electric circuit, in the event of failure of the first named source, normally under charge from the first named source; the provision of means for protecting the'electrical system against the occurrence of grounds, comprising a main supply relay, two normally closed pairs of contacts controlled by said main supply relay, a ground detecting relay, and a normally closed pair of contacts controlled by the ground detecting relay, said main supply relay being normally energized by reason of connection from one of the poles of the first named source of electric potential, through one of the pairs of contacts -of the main supply relay, through the pair of contacts controlled by the ground detecting relay, through the main supply relay, through the second pair of contacts of the main supply relay to the other pole of the first named source of electric potentialrsaid secondary source of electric potential being connected to said first named sourcethrough said pairs of contacts 0! the main supply relay; and said ground detecting relay being connected in series with said electric circuit andtosaidfirstnamedsourcethroughsaidpairs 7s of contacts of the main supply relay; whereby the occurrence of a ground in said electric circuit while one of the poles of the first named source is grounded will actuate the ground detecting relay to open the normally closed pair of .contacts controlled thereby, causing deenergization of the main supply relay and consequent disconnection of the electrical system from both poles of the first named source of electric potential together with disconnection from the normally existing ground, at the same time permitting the entire electrical system to function from the secondary source despite the disconnection of the first named source and the existence of the accidental ground.

2. In an electrical system comprising an external electric circuit connected to a central station, and a source of electric potential, at least one pole of which may be normally grounded, for normally energizing said external circuit, the provision of means for protecting the electrical system against the occurrence of grounds in the external circuit, comprising a relatively high resistance inserted at each end of the external circuit adjacent its point of electrical connection with the central station,

' one said resistance consisting, in part at least,

in a ground detecting relay, said resistances serving to limit currents flowing when a ground occurs in the external circuit, and means controlled by the operation of said ground detecting relay to disconnect the electrical system from the source upon the occurrence of a ground in the external circuit at the same time that one of the poles of the source is grounded.

3, In an electrical system comprising an electric circuit, and a source of electric potential, at least one pole of which may be normally grounded, for normally energizing said electric circuit; the provision of means for protecting the electrical system against the occurrence of grounds, comprising a main supply relay, two normally closed pairs of contacts controlled by said main supply relay, a ground detecting relay, and a normally closed pair of contacts controlled by the ground detecting relay, said main supply relay being normally energized by reason of connection from one of the poles of the source of electric potential, through one of the pairs of contacts of the main supply relay, through the pair of contacts controlled by the ground detecting relay, through the main supply relay, through the second pair of contacts of the main supply relay to the other pole of the source of electric potential; and said ground detecting relay being connected in series with said electric circuit and to said source through said pairs of contacts of the main supply relay; whereby the occurrence of a ground in said for normally energizing said electric circuit, and

a secondary source of electric potential for energizing the electric circuit in the event of failure of the first named source normally under charge from the first named source, and in which system a resistor is employed in at least one connection to the firstnamed source, wherebythe electric circuit and the secondary source are subjected to a potential less than that of the first named source; the provision of means for protecting the electrical system against the occurrence of grounds, comprising a main supply relay, two normally closed pairs of contacts controlled by said main supply relay, a ground detecting relay, and a normally closed pair of contacts controlled by the ground detecting relay, said main supply relay being normally energized by reason of connection from one of the poles of the first named source of electric potential, through one of the pairs of contacts of the main supply relay, through the pair of contactscontrolled by the ground detecting relay, through the main supply relay, through the second pair of contacts of the main supply relay to the other pole of the first named source of electric potential; said secondary source of electric potential and said resistor being connected to said first named source through said pairs of contacts of the main supply relay; and said ground detecting relay being connected in series with said electric circuit and said resistor and to said first named source through said pairs of contacts of the main supply relay; whereby the occurrence of a ground in said electric circuit while one of the poles of the first named source is grounded will actuate the ground detecting relay to open the normally closed pair of contacts controlled thereby, causing deenergization of the main supply relay and consequent disconnection of the electrical system from both poles of the first named source of electric potential together with disconnection from the normally existing ground, at the same time permitting the entire electrical system to'function from the secondary source despite the disconnection of the first named source and the existence of the accidental ground.

HARRY CAMPBELL GRANT, JR. 

